Development Spotlight: Builds & Customization
War Robots: Frontiers gives you a lot of freedom when it comes to Robot building. On the far reaches of the Wild Ten, Pilots can equip their squads as they see fit. Little attention is paid to corporate marketing and blueprints. Two identical chassis from the same shipment can end up powering two completely different Robots when they make it to the battlefield.
Learn more about builds & customization in War Robots: Frontiers with this Developer Spotlight written by Shredder-Blitz (Community Manager).
[h2]BUILDING BLOCKS[/h2]
To build a combat walker you will need a torso, a chassis (legs), and two shoulders. With eight Robot models currently available in the game, this leaves you with 70 possible combinations—and that doesn’t even include weapons and modules, which can alter your combat role all by themselves!
The Torso is usually the main component around which you assemble your build. Its core defines the unique ability of the Robot. The dashing Bulgasari, for example, features a missile barrage with an area of effect—no module can give you this ability. So, if you like bombarding your enemies while staying out of their line of sight, the Bulgasari torso is a good foundation to start with.
The Chassis will define the weight your Robot can carry, and the power supply it has to manage its weapons and modules. Take Fury's legs, for example. The carrying capacity of this model is unmatched, and allows you to choose the heaviest parts with the best armor. However, it all comes at the cost of a lower power supply and lower speed. With this Chassis, more powerful modules like Infinite Ammo will not be a viable option.
The Shoulders serve as mounting points for your weapons. Most of the models will only support light weapons, but there are some that give you access to the big guns. For weapon-specific builds, shoulders can be even more important than the chassis or torso. The complex system of amplifiers will rely heavily on your choice of shoulders.
[h2]STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY[/h2]
When forging a perfect war Robot, you will need to consider Armor and Durability. Squeezing as much firepower out of your build as possible can be a good strategy, but remember that in a fight, there will be counterfire.
Durability is the health pool of your Robot. When it reaches zero, the Robot is destroyed. While every Robot part has its own characteristics, the Durability is the sum of all its parts added up, and it’s the Robot as a whole that takes damage, no matter which part took the hit.
Armor, on the other hand, can be destroyed bit by bit. Armor is the upper layer that mitigates damage to Durability, and it takes damage separately depending on which part gets shot. When the armor on one of the Robot parts is breached, all the following hits dealt to that spot will deal 100% damage.
Even a couple of well-placed hits on an unarmored part can take your Robot down. Imagine building for close range and, for example, deciding to go with Ares’ Chassis for increased mobility—those legs can quickly become your Achilles heel. An experienced opponent will remember that their armor is subpar and try to exploit this.
[h2]GAME CHANGERS[/h2]
While your choice of Robot parts determines the way you traverse the battlefield and survive, it's your weapons that bring you closer to victory. You will often find yourself tailoring a Robot build to a weapon set more often than not.
There are three main types of damage in the game: kinetic (e.g. machine guns), energy (e.g. electricity), and explosive (e.g. rockets and missiles).
- Kinetic weapons deal increased damage to armor but get blocked by any type of energy shield.
- Energy guns ignore certain shields but don’t have any other perks.
- Explosives cause area damage, allowing you to chip away at the armor on two Robot parts at the same time. Weapons also differ in their ballistics and effective range. You can assemble a diverse hangar and be ready to counter any deployment from the enemy team, or fill your lineup with clones if you really liked that one particular loadout.
Modules are an essential part of every build. They negate weaknesses and amplify strengths. Burst-type rocket launchers, for example, are a great choice for mid-range. You can fire a volley and take cover to reload—-but what if your opponent manages to get close? In this case, Infinite Ammo could be a life-saver, allowing your weapons to keep firing for a short time without spending ammunition.
Installing an Armor Regeneration module on top of heavy armor will create a strong synergy, making survivability the defining feature of your build.
While Robot Pilots are still early in their development, they already play a significant role in cementing your choice of tactics. Some of them favor close quarters, some give life to sniper builds, and some encourage you to move around the map more.
[h2]PHYSICAL LIMITS[/h2]
We balance the power of Robot builds so that there is always a trade-off. You can go with superior armor at the expense of additional weapon slots, or choose to be a walking battery with little protection. You will always have your strengths and weaknesses. We achieve this by limiting the Robot’s Energy and Weight.
Weight is a characteristic present in all weapons and Robot parts—more armor and more firepower mean more weight.
Energy is drained by guns and modules. Heavier weapons and game-changing modules will usually have a higher toll on your energy supply.
These two pillars of balance in War Robots: Frontiers allow us to leave class building in your hands. We invite you to try every combination that sounds like it could possibly work. In the meantime, we will continue working on more building blocks for your Robot squad.
In the next Development Spotlight, we will talk about Progression. Most of the game’s meta is still in the works, but we’ll share our general vision and explain the core concepts. Tune in next week to see what we have in store!
